Raw Materials
The vaccine patch would be made
up of an adhesive polyethylene strip
layered with acrylic acid and ester
resin and microneedles made of a
water-soluble hyaluronic acid outer
layer that encapsulates the vaccine.
Polyethylene is made from a
combination reaction between
ethylene and butene, and
hyaluronic acid is is obtained from
the catalytic partial oxidation of
propene which is a by-product of
ethylene and gasoline production.
Recycling
This patch itself cannot be
recycled because it is made of
materials such as polyethylene.
Polyethylene is a plastic that
cannot be recycled. On top of
that, the microneedles dissolve,
so those can’t be recycled either.
The packaging can be recycled
because it is 100% recyclable
materials.
Use and re-use
The patch is applied to the forearm
and the microneedles dissolve into
the tissue and begin circulating the
body's system. Re-use of the
product is not possible due to the
single use microneedles. Also due
to the use of medicine, any form of
reuse of a vaccination is unsafe.
The main waste that comes from
the raw materials comes from the
making of the adhesiveness of the
patch. The patch is made
adhesive through acrylic acid and
ester resin, and those two
chemicals can leech plastics into
the environment when disposed
of improerly.
The adhesive patch will contribute
to the overall waste. The
microneedles will dissolve and
create zero waste. The packaging
will need to be collected after
manufactured and moved to proper
facilities to recycle the paper
materials for later use.
Since there are no materials being
reused, there is no extra waste for
this section.
Manufacturing
The manufacturing process starts with a
silicon mold and ends with a plastic
protective film. The silicon mold is made
of the master object, a baseplate, mold
wall, the prepolymer and curative, and
the release agent. These molds will be
filled with the polymer solution and the
chosen vaccination and then attached to
a polymer baseplate. The patch itself
starts with the first two polyethylene
layers bonding together through a
covering layer. An adhesive coating of
acrylic acid and ester resin is then applied
to the layers and a cavity is created where
the microneedles will be adhered to.
Lastly, a plastic film is attached.
Transportation + distribution
In order to insure safe
transportation and distribution, we
need safe packaging, made to
specifically fit each component of
the vaccine. The materials for this
would be an outer cardboard box
and an inner insert made of 100%
recycled materials. No new
materials are added after
packaging.
Wastes and emissions
Most waste created during
manufacturing, distribution, and
administration will not be reusable
or recyclable. In manufacturing, all
biohazardous waste will be
discarded. Distribution will be heavy
in pollution. In administration, the
adhesive patch will contribute to the
overall waste. These will need to be
shipped to a landfill through a
vehicle.
The energy present is
mechanical energy through
machinery producing our
product and thermal energy
through workers overseeing
production. Our main sources
of waste will be from silicon
molds breaking, incorrect
balances of the polymer and
vaccination, and faulty
adhesive strips. All of this
waste must be properly
discarded.
Packaging is something that usually
causes a lot of waste, but we will
make the packaging eco-friendly
and recyclable. The part of
transportation/distribution that will
cause the most waste would be
shipping due to the fuel (petroleum)
that creates greenhouse gases.
Most waste products will be
transported to landfills and sit to
slowly deteriorate while
contributing to GHG and CO2
emissions. Most waste in the
manufacturing process will be a
biohazard and will need proper
handling. Waste after the
administration process can be
normally discarded.